Chapter 183: Former Number One Genius

Translator: KurazyTolanzuraytor Editor: Lucas

Within a spacious courtyard house in the Imperial City's inner city.

"Trash, kneel down!" A middle-aged man with a stiff face kicked his leg out like a bolt of lightning, kicking the middle-aged man with drenched pants down to the floor.

He knelt there on the ground and shivered with his head lowered. He didn't dare to look at that big and tall figure before him.

"Second Master, it's I who didn't handle this matter well. I'll replace the 200,000 silver this trash lost," the middle-aged man with a stiff face respectfully said to the big and tall figure.

"200,000 silver is a small matter…." The big and tall figure walked out from the shadows, and under the moonlight, a slightly dignified face was briefly revealed.

This was another middle-aged man, and a dignified appearance of a person in a high position was emitted from between his brows.

"That Ghastly Shadow wasn't willing to accept the assignment on that little bastard?" The dignified middle-aged man looked at the middle-aged man who knelt on the floor. He couldn't help but frown, as he could vaguely smell the pungent stench of urine.

"Yes, Second Master." The middle-aged man who knelt on the floor hurriedly nodded and his body shivered.

The dignified middle-aged man glanced at the middle-aged man with the stiff face, and said, with an incomparably calm voice, "Make it clean."

"Second Master, spare me, Second Master, spare…." The face of the middle-aged man who knelt on the ground went ghastly pale, but he didn't even finish speaking before his skull was shattered with a slap of the middle-aged man beside him. Dead!

"Second Master, even Ghastly Shadow isn't willing to accept the assignment on Duan Ling Tian. Does he have…." The middle-aged man with the stiff face was slightly hesitant.

"Humph! I'm extremely clear of his background… Since Ghastly Shadow won't accept it, go find someone else to deal with him." The middle-aged man with a dignified expression raised his hand, and a huge stack of silver dropped onto the ground. "This is 30,000,000 silver. You take care of this matter cleanly. I don't wish the others from the clan to find out."

30,000,000 silver?

The pupils of the middle-aged man with the stiff face constricted, as he never imagined that the man before him would be willing to pay such a huge amount of wealth for a mere 18-year-old youth.

"Yes, Second Master." The middle-aged man with a stiff face put away the silver before picking up the corpse beside him and quickly leaving the courtyard house.

In next to no time, only the middle-aged man with the dignified expression remained within the courtyard house, and an icy-cold voice echoed out from within his mouth, filling the entire courtyard house…. "Duan Ling Tian, you killed my son, so I'll make you die a graveless death!"

Early in the morning, as the first light of the morning sun descended onto the ground, bits of sunlight shone through the window to descend onto the youth who sat cross-legged on his bed.

"Huff!" After a long time, the youth took a deep breath and his gaze focused. "With my current progress, I should be able to break through to the seventh level of the Core Formation Stage before departing!"

After putting on his violet clothes, the youth left home after eating breakfast.

As he passed by the side of the Martial Arts Practice Ground after entering Paladin Academy, many students could be seen cultivating martial skills and sparring within the Martial Arts Practice Grounds….

"These people are all students from the Star General Department." Duan Ling Tian's gaze slightly focused. It looked like the reinforcement army going out to battle one month from now had aroused the spirits of these Star General Department students.

Suddenly, three young men walked over towards him from afar.

A smile appeared on the corners of Duan Ling Tian's mouth, as there was a familiar face amongst the three people before his eyes, and it was precisely Duan Rong, the cousin of Duan Ling Xing.

Ever since Duan Ling Xing died, Duan Ling Tian hadn't once seen Duan Rong again, but never had he expected that he would encounter him here….

Duan Rong lowered his head when he noticed Duan Ling Tian; he had the intention to avoid him.

"Duan Rong, what're you afraid of?" The tall young man beside Duan Long looked at the violet-clothed youth that was afar, and his sword-shaped eyebrows knitted, seeming to be slightly puzzled.

"Big brother Xu Qing, he's Duan Ling Tian." The other person laughed bitterly.

"He's Duan Ling Tian?" The gaze of the young man called Xu Qing focused and a bright light flashed within, and he raised his hand to place it onto Duan Rong's shoulder. "Duan Rong, you're someone who came from my Myriad Link County… Could it be that you think he can still bully you with me here?"

Duan Rong shuddered as he returned to his senses.

Yeah, how could he have forgotten?

The young man beside him was the son of the Myriad Link County's County Governor, the County Governor's Estate's Young Master. Before Duan Ling Tian's appearance, he was even publicly acknowledged as the student with the highest natural talent in the Martial Dao within Paladin Academy after Duan Ru Feng.

Duan Ling Tian stood in the distance, and when he noticed that Duan Rong seemed like a mouse noticing a cat when he saw him, Duan Ling Tian didn't plan on making fun of Duan Rong…. But suddenly, he noticed that Duan Rong seemed to have regained his spirits and was even walking over towards Duan Ling Tian with the two other young men beside him with a great imposing manner.

It caused Duan Ling Tian to be stunned.

There isn't something wrong with this Duan Rong's head, right? Could it be that he wants to come get a beating again?

"You're Duan Ling Tian?" Duan Ling Tian noticed that the tall young man beside Duan Rong was looking at him with a hostile gaze, and his tone was mixed with a trace of coldness.

This tall young man had a handsome appearance and extraordinary disposition. Duan Ling Tian was able to discern that he came from an extraordinary background with just a glance.

"Yes." Duan Ling Tian's brows raised. Could it be that this person wanted to come forward for Duan Rong?

"I'm Xu Qing." Xu Qing stared fixedly at Duan Ling Tian, and a trace of hostility abruptly arose within his eyes…

Before the violet-clothed youth before him killed Duan Ling Xing and spread his name throughout Paladin Academy, he was the publically acknowledged number one genius within Paladin Academy. But since then, this halo had been taken away by the violet-clothed youth before him!

This caused him, who was proud and arrogant, to find it slightly difficult to accept.

"Xu Qing?" Duan Ling Tian thought inwardly when he heard what the young man said.

This name wasn't unfamiliar to him; he still remembered that day when he had just arrived at the Imperial City. He once heard others discuss this person within that restaurant in the outer city. They even said that this person followed after that deadbeat father of his to become the Martial Dao genius with the highest natural talent within Paladin Academy in the last 20 plus years.

Later on, after he entered Paladin Academy, he still often heard others mention this Xu Qing.

Xu Qing, a grade 2 student of the Paladin Academy's Star General Department, possessed a cultivation at the ninth level of the Core Formation Stage, and he even possessed a grade seven spirit weapon. Among the students below the Origin Core Stage within Paladin Academy, no one was a match for him.

"What? You want to come forward for Duan Rong?" Duan Ling Tian's gaze focused as he looked at Xu Qing calmly.

"So what if I am?" A cold smile appeared on the corners of Xu Qing's mouth, and a cold light flashed within his eyes.

Meanwhile, the face off Duan Ling Tian and Xu Qing had attracted many students. As this was a side of the Martial Arts Practice Grounds, the group of students present within the Martial Arts Practice Ground had gathered over before long….

"Duan Ling Tian!" A robust figure walked out from within the crowd and stood beside Duan Ling Tian.

Duan Ling Tian looked at Tian Hu and was slightly surprised before lightly smiling and saying, "Tian Hu, you're actually here as well."

"Duan Ling Tian, how'd you get into conflict with this Xu Qing?" Tian Hu frowned and looked at Xu Qing with a slightly fearful gaze.

"I didn't have any intention of coming into conflict with him; however, he himself came and blocked my path; he even said he wanted to come forward for Duan Rong…." Duan Ling Tian shrugged with an innocent expression.

"You again!" Tian Hu's gaze went slightly cold as he looked at Duan Rong and said, in a cold voice, "Duan Rong, if you're a man, then don't rely on others…. What are you staring at? If you have the balls, then come fight me!"

Duan Rong's face turned deathly pale, but he didn't dare accept the challenge, as he had experienced this Tian Hu's strength, and it was far from what he could compare to.

"Forget it. When a dog bites you, could it be that you want to bite it in return?" Duan Ling Tian shook his head and looked at Tian Hu with a smile. "It's almost time, so you should go to class; otherwise, be careful, or that Niu Mang might punish you!" As he spoke, Duan Ling Tian brought Tian Hu and walked off shoulder to shoulder, intentionally walking around Xu Qing's group of three.

"Duan Ling Tian, you and I are both at the ninth level of the Core Formation Stage, and you and I both have grade seven spirit weapons… You, do you dare to battle me?" Noticing so many people spectating, Xu Qing's gaze focused. He intended to demonstrate his strength to reclaim the halo of number one genius within Paladin Academy.

"One must know one's limitations!" Duan Ling Tian paid no attention to Xu Qing and indifferently left behind this sentence before continuing forward with Tian Hu.

"Awesome! This Duan Ling Tian is really something!"

"This Xu Qing is the former number one genius of our Paladin Academy, but Duan Ling Tian actually paid no attention when faced with his challenge!"

"He even told Xu Qing that he should know his own limitations."

...

The spectating group of students was in a complete uproar.

Xu Qing's face was livid, his body was quivering, and his handsome face was currently replaces with a savage expression.

He Xu Qing was from the Myriad Link County's County Governor's Estate and was the son of the County Governor. Since a young age, he grew up with a golden spoon in his mouth, and when he started cultivating, he even revealed a monstrous natural talent. He was even being called the number one genius within the last 100 years of the Myriad Link County!

After that, he passed the entrance exam that Paladin Academy established in the Myriad Link County and smoothly entered Paladin Academy.

In Paladin Academy, he was still outstanding! He was publically acknowledged as the number one genius within Paladin Academy.

Among the Paladin Academy students, only one person from 20 plus years ago was able to surpass him, and that person was Duan Ru Feng!

Duan Ru Feng, the former peerless genius whose name spread throughout the entire Crimson Sky Kingdom, wasn't of the same generation as him. Currently, Duan Ru Feng had even vanished for many years, and thus he didn't feel anything when his limelight was outshone by Duan Ru Feng.

But when Duan Ling Tian appeared with the identity of the son of Duan Ru Feng, revealed that his cultivation was at the ninth level of the Core Formation Stage at the age of 18, and killed Duan Ling Xing, who was a ninth level Core Formation martial artist as well, Duan Ling Tian's name was spread throughout Paladin Academy and even the Imperial City.

His halo seemed to have been taken away in a single night!

Since then, hostility towards Duan Ling Tian arose within his heart…

Since the heavens brought me into this world, then why did the heavens give life to Duan Ling Tian!?

He originally only had hostility within his heart, but today, when he personally met Duan Ling Tian, he noticed that he really desired to defeat Duan Ling Tian and prove himself to everyone….

He, Xu Qing, was still the number one genius in Paladin Academy!

A legend that was difficult for all the Paladin Academy students to surpass!

But now, when he initiated a challenge, that Duan Ling Tian actually regarded it was not worthy of consideration… This caused his heart to be completely filled with rage!

"Duan Ling Tian, you pu**y!" Xu Qing's face was gloomy, and he sneered as he looked at Duan Ling Tian's figure disappearing off into the distance.

"Hmm?" Duan Ling Tian, who was walking shoulder to shoulder with Tian Hu, heard what Xu Qing said, and he stopped his footsteps for a moment before shaking his head with a smile and continuing forward.

"If you think that roaring like this can suppress the inferiority within your heart, then feel free to roar… It's not that I don't dare to battle you, but I disdain to! You should think it over yourself." Duan Ling Tian's voice echoed out from afar and entered Xu Qing's ears. They seemed like pins piercing him.

"Duan Ling Tian!" Xu Qing couldn't bear it any longer and completely erupted….